Roundabouts are included among the options provided by Alberta Transportation for a pilot project to improve pedestrian safety while maintaining the flow of traffic on Sundre's Main Avenue between the bridges.
Other options are to leave the current four-lane setup as is or to add space to make a safety buffer for sidewalks by reducing Main Avenue to three lanes with the centre lane reserved for motorists who are turning left.
The Sundre Legion was packed on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 4 with residents who wanted to learn more about Alberta Transportation's proposals.
Many people were upset that Alberta Transportation representatives did not provide a full presentation and were instead informally addressing residents on a one-to-one question-and-answer basis.
But the information on proposed alternatives for Main Avenue was there.
The question is whether any options resonated with residents.
Based on the feedback he received speaking with people, Stuart Richardson, infrastructure manager with Alberta Transportation, said there was a split on roundabouts, which are also known as traffic circles.
While the general consensus is that something needs to be done to address the pedestrian safety issue along Main Avenue from the Centre Street intersection to Fourth Street, he said some residents are in favour of roundabouts while others are strongly opposed.
Traffic circles would certainly take some getting used to, mostly because they aren't exactly a familiar sight on Alberta roads, with a few exceptions.
For anyone who hasn't actually seen one, a roundabout is an intersection where traffic flows in a counter-clockwise circle around a centre island. They eliminate the need to turn left in front of oncoming vehicles, which alone is a major benefit ó collisions on Main Avenue resulting from motorists turning left against oncoming traffic are not uncommon.
Additionally, traffic circles reduce the overall speed of motorists proceeding through the intersection, which in turn increases safety. They also direct more traffic in less time than traditional intersections because they don't have stop signs or traffic lights, which allows traffic to make its way around the circle and reduces the number of stops and delays for drivers.
Surveys distributed during the open house to get input from residents can be submitted until Monday, Feb. 29. The feedback will be used to come up with recommendations moving forward, said Richardson.
There's no doubt about it ó traffic circles have benefits.
But whether they are the most suitable solution for Main Avenue, which only has so much room to work with, remains to be determined.
However, anyone reluctant for change should remember that whatever option is selected, it will be trialed as a pilot project first.
"We don't want to build anything no one wants," said Richardson.
"If we did something and it didn't work, or it just creates more issues, we'd just go back to what it is now."
